Electrically-controlled elevator



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ELEGTRIOALLY CONTROLLED ELEVATOR. No. 410,182. Patented Sept. 8, 1889.,

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No. 410,182. Patented Sept. 3, 1889 N PETEHS. Photo-Lrthagnplmr. Waihmghzm, n; c.

(No Model.) Y 3 Sheets-Sheet a G. E. ONGLEY. ELEGTRIGALLY CONTROLLED ELEVATOR.

No. 410,182. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. ONGLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRlCALLY-CONTROLLED ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,182, dated September 3, 1889.

Application filed April 18, 1888. Serial No. 271,103. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. ONGLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im in'ovements in Elevators, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to an organized apparatus for controlling electrically the movements of an elevator-car, and particularly to a system of electrical connections by which the car is automatically arrested upon arriving in proper position at any landing.

The invention consists, principally, in a system of electrical connections for automatt cally aceomplishin g this result, which will now be fully described and. particularly pointed out, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a part of a building, showing the same provided with an elevator equipped with a system of electrical connections for controlling its movements according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating such system of electrical connections. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism for control- 0 ling the movements of the elevator-ear. Fig.

4 is a vertical sectional elevation of the same. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a detail which will be hereinafter referred to. Fig. (5 is a horizontal section taken on the lineof Fig. 4.

Referring to said drawings, it is to be understood that A represents the elevator-shaft; G, the several landings or stories of the building; B, the elevator-car; C, a hydraulic cylinder or other motor by which the car is raised, and O the hoisting-cable, all of which parts are organized in the usual and well-known manner.

D, Fig. 1, represents the mechanism for controlling the movements of the elevatorcar, which, in the case shown, is the main induction and exhaust valve of the cylinder C, which is of any suitable construction to allow the water to be admitted to the cylinder to raise the car when the valve is in oneposition,

to allow the water to escape from the cylinder to permit the car to descend when the valve is reversed, and to close both the induction and exhaust to stop the car when the valve is in an intermediate or mid position. This mechanism also includes an auxiliary valve and piston for operating the main Valve. Such cylinders and valves are in common use, and their construction and operation are well known, and it is not necessary therefore, to describe the same herein in detail, except in so far as w'll aid in giving an understanding of the electrical connections for operating the valve. The particular form of valve which has been selected for illustration in the prescut case will therefore be described in detail; but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to a valve of this particular construction, but is equally applicable to other forms of valves for accomplishing the same results, or to whatever mechanism is used to control the movements of the motor.

It is also to be understood that where a hydraulic cylinder is employed it may, if preferred, be arranged vertically instead of horizontally, and may be provided with the wellknown circulating-pipe, or may be arranged in any of the ways common in elevators.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, the construction and operation of the valve apparatus will be described. This apparatus consists of a cylinder D, having an inductionpipe D, through which the water under suitable pressure is admitted to the cylinder; a pipe C, through which the water passes from the cylinder D to the cylinder 0, and a pipe D through which the water is discharged after performing its work. The valve proper consists of two pistons D and D, which work in the cylinder D and are so arranged that when in their central or mid position theycut off communication between the pipe C and both the pipes D D but thatby beingmoved from their mid-position they establish communication between the pipes D C so as to allow 5 the water to enter the cylinder 0, or between the pipes C and D so as to allow the Water in the cylinder C to escape, thus arresting the movement of the elevator-car or causing the car to ascend or descend in the well-known 10o manner. The rod D to which the pistons D D are secured, is extended beyond the Communicating with the ends of the cylinder 1) above and below the pistons D D are induction and exhaust pipes E E through which water is admitted to and exhausted from the cylinder D to operate the pistons D D and their connected main valve in the manner just described. These induction and exhaust pipes are controlled by an auxiliaryvalve apparatus E, which is operated by electromotors under control of the conductor in the car or of aperson at any landing. The induction and exhaust pipes E E maybe extended so as to permit the auxiliary-valve apparatus E to be located in any convenient position, either near to or remote from the main-valve apparatus. As herein shown it is, however, located immediately at the side of the cylinder D This auxiliary-valve apparatus consists, primarily, of a valve composed of two pistons a, (see Fig. 6,) located in a valve-chamber and so arranged that when in their mid-position they close the openings of the induction and exhaust pipes E E The chamber in which the auxiliary valve is lo cated is provided with an induction-pipe E which opens between the two pistons a of the valve, and with exhaust-passages E, which lead from the opposite ends of the valve-chamber outside the pistons a to an exhaust-pipe E. The rod E upon which the pistons a are secured, passes through a stufling-box in the end of the valve-chamber and is connected to a pivoted lever E, to which is secured an armature E which is acted upon so as to rock the lever in opposite directions by two electromotors E E located upon the opposite sides of the armature. The lever E is normally held in a mid-position, so as to hold the armatu're E centrally between the two electro motors, and the auxiliary valve in position to close both the induction and exhaust pipes E E, by means of equalizing-springs E The auxiliary valve which has been described is given merely for the purpose of illustrating the operation of the invention. Any other'suitable form of valve may, however, be employed, if preferred. For example, the induction and exhaust pipes E E may be controlled by separate auxiliaryvalve apparatuses, such as described in my prior application for Letters Patent filed November 22, 1887, Serial No. 255,857, or the electromotors may act directly upon the main valve.

The electromotors E E are herein shown as ordinary electromagnets, and will hereinafter he referred to in the specification and claims as magnets; but it is to be understood that the term as herein used includes any form of electromotor which is capable of being energized by the passage through it of an electric current.

The operation of the apparatus as thus' stated, normallyheld by the equalizing-springs E in position to close the induction and exhaust pipes E E and thereby prevent any water from entering those pipes to act upon the pistons D D and operate the main valve. As soon, however, as one of the magnets (E, for example) is energized by the closing of the electric circuit in which the magnet is 10- cated, the armature E will be attracted,

thereby rocking the lever E and moving the auxiliary valve so as to open communication between the induction-pipe E and the pipe E, and thereby allow the water to enter the pipe E and pass to the cylinderD above the piston D. At the same time the pipe E and the passage E at that end of the auxiliaryvalve chamber will be brought into communication, so as to allow the water confined in the cylinder D below the piston D to escape through the pipe E and pass to the exhaust-pipe E. This will cause the main valve to move downward and allow the water to pass from the induction-pipe D into the pipe 0 and thence to the cylinder 0, and act upon the piston in that cylinder so as to raise the car. As soon as the circuit through the magnet E is broken the magnet will be deenergized, so as to release the armature E and as soon as this is done the equalizingsprings E will rock the lever E back to its mid-position, and thereby restore the pistons a, forming the auxiliary valve, to position to close both the induction and exhaust pipes E E and shut OK the further admission and exhaust of water to and from the cylinder D and thus arrest the movement of the main valve and hold it in any position in which it is at that time. By closing the circuit through the other magnet the auxiliary valve will be moved in the opposite direction, thereby admitting waterto the cylinder D beneath the piston D and allowing the escape of the water from above the piston D, so'as to move the main valve upward, and this being c011- tinued the main valve will be reversed, so as to cause the car to descend; or if it is desired to simply stop' the car the circuit will be broken as soon as the main valve arrives in its mid-position, and the car will then remain at rest.

The system of electrical connections by which the magnets E E are energized to operate the auxiliary valve, as just described, will now be explained.

One pole of each of the magnets is connected to a wire 2, which includes a suitable battery F and leads to the elevator-car, where it is connected to two wires 3 4, which return to the other poles of the respective magnets. The courses of these circuits, and also of the circuits to be hereinafter referred to, can

ble G (see Fig. 1,) which hangs in the shaft with suflicient slack to allow for the travel of the car. The circuits 2 3 and 2 4 thus formed,

each of which includes one of the magnets, are provided with push-buttons or other circuit-closers'"5 6, located upon the car. The term puslrbutton is herein used for convenience, and it is to be understood as including any means for making and breaking the circuits.

From the description of the auxiliary-valve apparatus which has already been given it will readily be seen that by operating the button 5 to close the circuit 2 3, and thus energize the magnet E the car will be caused to descend, and that by releasing said button, so as to break the circuit 2 3 and de-energize the magnet, and then operating the button 6 to close the circuit 2 t and energize the magnet E the car will be stopped or caused to ascend, according to the length of time the circuit 2 4: is kept closed, and vice versa.

There are many cases where it is desirable, in addition to the means for controlling the movements of the elevator from within the car, that there should also be provided means by which a person at any landing can cause the car to ascend or descend to that landing. To enable this to be accomplished, the circuits 2 3 and 2 4 are respectively provided with branch circuits '7 8 and '7 9, which include push-buttons 1O 11, located at each landing, as also indicated in Fig. 2. By this means a person at any landing can by operating the button 10 or 11 cause the car to descend or ascend, as the case may be, to that landing, and can then arrest the car by operating the other button, in the same manner as already described in connection with the buttons upon the car. The push-buttons and branch circuits for only two landings are indicated in the diagram; but it will readily be understood that the circuits and buttons at any number of landings can be arranged in the same manner.

From what has been said it will be seen that the circuits 2 3 and 2 and their branches 7 S and 7 9 are suificient to enable a person either in the car or at any landing to cause the car to ascend or descend and to come to rest at any desired point. In order, however, to stop the car in exactly the proper position at any landing, it is necessary to close the circuit which is to reverse the main valve at such a time before the car arrives at the land ing that the time required for the main valve to arrive atits mid-position will be just sufficient to allow the car to arrive at that landing, and it will also be seen that in order to retain the car at the place where it is stopped it is necessary to break the circuit as soon as the car stops. If the person operating the elevator is skillful and attentive, this will occasion no special difliculty, because such a person will be able to close and break the circuit at the proper time; but with an unskillful or inattentive operator this might occasion some trouble and annoyance, and it is therefore desirable to provide means by which, when it is desired to stop the car and retain it at any landing, the circuit will be automatically closed and broken at the proper time to eit'ect this result. For this purpose there is provided a circuit-closer which is operated by the car, and which consists of a contact-plate 0, (see Fig. 5,) having a spindle O, which enters a socket 0 set into some convenient portion of the carpreferably near its bottomand is provided with a spring 0 which acts to press the plate 0 outward, so that as the car moves up and down the elevator-shaft the plate passes in contact with a series of plates M l\, arranged on the side of the shaft and located, respectively, just above and below the position of the plate 0 when the car is in position at each landing. These plates M N are connected with each other and with the wires 3 ,4 by means of wires 13 1'7 and 13 16, and the plate 0 is connected to the wire 2 by means of a wire 14, which includes a push button 15,10- cated-upon the car. The wires 16 17 include circuit-closers consisting of spring contactplates R R, which are located adjacent to a rod R which forms an extension of the rod D of the main valve, or which is connected to the main valve or some other moving part of the engine so as to be moved in unison with the valve. This rod R is provided with two oppositely-arranged shoulders, which are so located that when the main valve is in its mid-position neither of the pairs of contactplates R R will be acted upon and the cir cuits through the wires 16 17 will be broken,

but that when the valve is moved up or down from its mid-position one or the other of the pairs of contact-plates-depending upon which way the valve is moved-will be engaged by the corresponding shoulder upon the rod R so as to bring the plates together and close the circuit through the wire 16 or 17, as the case may be.

The contact-plates M N are of such length vertically that the length of time which the plate 0 will remain in contact with either of the plates as the car is descending or ascending will be just suflicient to allow the main valve to move to its mid-position and arrest the car; and the plates are so positioned with relation to the dilferent landings that whenever the plate 0 passes out of contact with the plate M as the car descends, or out of contact with the plate N as the car ascends, the car will be in proper position in front of the landing. Assuming now that the main valve has been moved downward from its midposition, so as to cause the car to ascend, and thus bring the contact-plates R together, so as to close the circuit through the wire 17 at that point, it is only necessary then, in order to stop the car and retain it at any landing, to press the button 15 as the car approaches the landing. As soon as the contact-plate O arrives in contact with the plate N the circuit will be completed through the magnet E thereby energizing that magnet, so as to operate the auxiliary valve and cause the main valve to move upward until it arrives at its mid-position, so as to stop the car. As soon the valve arrives in this position the shoulder on the rod R will pass out 'of contact with the plates R, and thus break the circuitthrough the wire 17 and arrest the main valve and retain the car in proper position at the landing. If the main valve has been moved upward from its midposition, so as to cause the car to descend, the operation of stopping and retaining the car will bethe same, except that in this case the plates R will be brought together, so as to close the circuit through the wire 16, and the p'late 0 will come into contact with the plate M, so as to close the circuit through the magnet E instead of through the magnet E To enable the same operation to be performed from any landing, the elevator-shaft is provided with a second series ofcontactplates M N, corresponding to the plates M N, and arranged at the sides of the latter plates in position to be also engaged by the plate 0, carried by the car, so that when the plate 0 is in contact with the plates M M and NN' it serves to connect them electrically. These plates are connected with each other and with the wire 7 by wires 18, which include push-buttons 19, located at each landing. By operating the buttons 19 the car will be automatically arrested in proper position atany landing, the same as in operating the button 15 upon the car, as just de-' scribed.

In addition to the electrical appliances which have been described for controlling the ordinary working movements of the elevator, it is desirable that means should be provided bywhich in case of an accident, or in case the elec trical appliances should for an y reason become ineffective, the conductor can have control of the main valve by means of mechanical connections. For this purpose the valve-rod D is provided with the usual rack, which is engaged by a pinion B the shaft of which is provided with a pulley B around which passes an ordinary hand-rope B, which extends around pullcys B located at the top and bottom of the shaft, and passes through the car in the usual manner. To permit the main valve to be operated by this hand-rope in case of an emergency, as just stated, the cylinder D is provided with a circulating-pipe 21, having oppositely arranged spring-controlled check-valves 20, as shown in Fig. 4, to permit the water to circulate between the ends of the cylinder D above and below the pistons as the valve is thus moved. The springs controlling these check-valves are placed under such tension as to close the valves against the pressure necessary for the ordinary working movements of the valve. These springs will, however, yield and permit the circulation of water when power is applied to the hand-rope to operate the valve in that manner.

The ordinary hand-rope is herein illustrated as the simplest and, all things considered, the most desirable mechanical appliance for controlling the valve in connection with the electrical appliances herein described; but it is to be understood that any of the other forms of mechanical connections by which the conductor in the car is enabled to control the main valve may be applied and used in place of the simple hand-- rope shown.

I do not herein claim the subject-matter herein shown and claimed in my companion applications filed November 22, 1887, Serial No. 255,857, and January 22, 1889, Serial No. 297,127.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its move men ts, of an electro-magnet for operating said controlling mechanism, a circuit-closer 15 or 19 in circuit with the magnet, and a circuitcloser operated by the car to close the circuit through the magnet shortly before the car arrives at a landing, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its movements, of an electro-magnet for operating said controlling mechanism, a circuit-closer 15 or 19 in circuit with the magnet, and a circuit-closer operated by the car to close the circuit through the magnet shortly before the I car arrives at a landing, and to break the circuit as the car arrives at the landing, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its movements, of an electro-magnet for operating said controlling mechanism,'a circuitrcloser 15 or 19 in circuit with said magnet, a circuit closer R or R, operated by a moving part of the elevator mechanism to close the circuit through the magnet when the car is in motion and to break the circuit when the car is at rest, and a circuit-closer operated by the car to close the circuit through the magnet shortly before the car arrives at a landing, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its movements, of electro-magnets for operating said controlling mechanism to cause the car to move in opposite directions, a circuit-closer 15 or 19 in circuit with both the said magnets, and'a circuit-closer operated by the car to close the circuit through one of said magnets shortly before the car arrives at a landinggoing down, and through the other of said magnets shortly before the car arrives at the landing going up, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its movements, of electro-magnets for operating said controlling mechanism to cause the car to move in opposite directions, a circuit-closer 15 or 19 in, circuit with both the said magnets, a circuit-closer operated by the car to close the circuit through one of said magnets going down, and through the other of said magnets shortly before the car arrives at the landing going up, and circuit-closers R R, operated by a moving part of the elevator mechanism to close the circuit throughone of said magnets when the car is in motion and to break the circuits through both of said magnets when the car is atrest, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with an elevator-car and the mechanism for controlling its movements, of an auxiliary cylinder and piston for operating said controllingmechanism, an electr0-1nagnet for actuating the auxiliary valve, an electric circuit including said magnet and a circuit-closer on the car, and a circulating-passage having a check-valve for permitting the water to circulate from one side to the other of the auxiliary piston, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. ONGLEY.

Witn esses:

J. A. HOVEY, J. J. KENNEDY. 

